Living in a Time Warp

Let me just start out by saying hard days were put into our lives for a reason and they can make us grow to be stronger missionaries. Sister Rose and I were so grateful for a new day. Our TRC's went really well (they didn't start out well buuuttt). We had a women named Raquel that we met with three times and then Hilma who we met with four times. We grew to LOVE both of them but had a really strong relationship with Hilma and we were always so excited to meet with her. At the end of our last lesson with her we committed her to baptism and it filled the room with the spirit and we are so grateful for the opportunity we had to meet with her.

Sister Hardy from my home ward! She is in my ZONE! And her room is right next door to mine.

Our new TRC's for this week are super fun. The first one we had an automatic connection because she is from OAKDALE. Which is like a few miles away from MODESTO! So she told us a little bit about home and we loved hearing about it and she enjoyed talking about it.

My good friend, Elder Wittwer. It's so nice to have a teeny tiny piece of home. 

HAVE I MENTIONED THAT I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR SISTER ROSE??? CAUSE I TOTALLY AM. We get along so well and balance each other out so much. She is so patient with me and my loud, obnoxious self. I testify that companionship's are inspired by God, I truly believe that. On Wednesday we were asked to prepare a lesson for Relief Society on The Creation, The Fall, and Agency. The lesson went better than we expected, especially because we prepared it an hour before the lesson. We appreciate the Spirit stepping in on that one...

Sister Rose being adorable

Sister Rose still being adorable

Exercise time is very important to me and I cherish it. We can't play volleyball anymore because of the tours. They didn't want anyone getting drilled in the face walking through the gym... I don't know I think it's a little dumb but whatever. So I have settled with four square which is SUPER fun. Sister Rose and I are like the only sister that play so it can get a little competitive. But we were playing for a while then some new Elders came and played and were going a little easy and so I smashed it in their square and got them out. All the Elders in the line were like "OOHHHHHHHH" and then someone said "You can't go easy on these Sisters they are too good". We take it pretty seriously.

Mongolian Flag flying right outside my classroom reminds me of my sister every day.

It's amazing how in just a short couple weeks someone can learn and grow so much. I feel the Saviors love at all times in my life. TODAY THE TEMPLE OPENED BACK UP! So as a district we got to go to the temple and the peace and reverence in their was just what I needed. LOVE IT!

Sister Hansen Loves to see the temple

Keep on Keepin on!
Sister Hansen

Elder Ly, THE BEST PIANIST I KNOW

Question from Dad: 

I was surprised to hear that most of your district is NOT going to Modesto. Do you get much interaction with the others going to Modesto that are not in your district? How do you feel about being separated?

Answer:

Sister Rose and I talk about being separated from the district [ current group that are not all going to Modesto] like every day, WE ARE NOT EXCITED. We have all grown so much and our friendships are so strong. But hopefully we will all be able to keep in touch while we are separated around the world.

Also, look what they have at the MTC!

Email Allison: anhansen@myldsmail.net

This missionary stuff is HARD

Can't believe that I have already been here for a week tomorrow! My companion's name is Sister Rose! And yes this is the same Sister Rose that I knew at Snow College! We have been working so well together with the lessons that we have been teaching. The first day our teacher (Sister Willey) said "Ok guys so this lesson is going to help you with your investigators that you will be teaching tomorrow." EXCUSE ME TOMORROW. Let me remind you that this was our first day. We were all a little shocked but in a good way. I guess that's one way to do it. JUMP HEAD FIRST.

We have 16 people in our district which is apparently really big, and the day we enter the mission field was the biggest day of the year! We were 400 over the limit in the biggest room at the MTC. 

Top Row Left to Right: Elder Larson, Moake, Hermansen, Kessler, Bird, Steadman, Brunson
Second Row: Elder Palepale, Sister Rose, Hansen, Mccann, Hoffman, Elder Blackmore, Gunn, Bringhurst, Johnson

The District Consists of:

Elder Bringhurst & Blackmore (Zone Leaders) Hawaii Honolulu

Elder Brunson & Moake - Indiana Indianapolis

Elder Steadman & Larson - Indiana Indianapolis

Elder Kessler & Palepale - Modesto California

Elder Gunn & Hermansen - Indiana Indianapolis & Modesto California

Elder Johnson & Bird (Elder Johnson is our District Leader)  Hawaii Honolulu

Sister Mccann & Hoffman (STL's) Hawaii Honolulu

Sister Hansen & Rose Modesto California

So our first Investigator's name was Taylor (she was just our teacher acting as Taylor but it felt soooo real). Our lessons started out pretty good with her and it was good to see how Sister Rose and I worked together. But our second lesson was so full of the spirit and Taylor felt it as well. We shared a ton of stuff with her but by the end we were just going off of the spirit and the lesson was bomb. We taught her to pray and asked her to pray for us at the end of the lesson and it was such a beautiful prayer. The spirit was so strong. On the third lesson the next day we committed her to baptism. And again even though it wasn't real, IT FELT SO REAL. Sister Rose and I felt so good after we left that room. 

YESTERDAY WAS SO HARD. I was told that some days you would say to yourself "What have I got myself into" that was yesterday. With all three investigators we just couldn't get the message across that we wanted to and we left feeling discouraged. But we prayed and kept working. This missionary stuff is HARD. But I know that it will be worth it in the end. 

Let me just rant about the MTC choir for a second and a half. WOWOWOWOWOWOW. One practice and it already sounded like that!?? Dang I am so excited to sing for the devotional tomorrow and even for next week So excited about that.

So far the MTC is so wonderful, I have already been called the Volleyball sister so that is an accomplishment. The tours for the MTC has started and there has been so many people already. We aren't aloud to talk to the tourist because we need to stay focused. I love when I get things from Dear Elder so keep it up! I'd love it if you would send pictures... and soap. But mostly soap cause I need that.

More next week!

Keep on Keepin on!

Sister Hansen

p.s. Hopefully I get better at this whole Email thing...

Hey, so I'm alive!!

1st day at the MTC was a success. AND GUESS WHO MY COMPANION IS?! Sister Rose the girl from school! When I saw her name on my envelope I literally asked my host if that was real, I couldn't believe it. So there are 16 people in my district, four girls and twelve boys. So it is really big. Also they said today was the day when the most missionaries came to the MTC. We are the top of the wave. Around 700 missionaries came today.


Ok well I will let you know more on my P day! All is well!


P.S. I AM A MISSIONARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MTC Drop Off

[From Allison's parents]

We are now experts at the MTC drop ritual after dropping off Allison's sister, Jennifer, 18 months ago.

Allison set her alarm for the official missionary wake-up time, 6:30 am. She showered, got dressed, read her scriptures and finished packing. We ate breakfast, then she began tapping her feet and glancing at the clock. We didn't need to leave until 11, but Allison was wound up tighter than a spring. She brought her luggage up the stairs at 8:30. She was ready to go. She demanded it, so we left for Provo a few minutes after nine.

We had time to kill, so we stopped and looked at boats, then stopped at Walmart to get some final items. At the last second, she broke tradition (we usually lunch at Zupas), and we went to Cafe Rio. Not surprisingly, Cafe Rio was also full of departing missionaries and their families. We met missionaries departing for Georgia, Arkansas and two different missions in No. Carolina (one was headed to Raleigh which is where Gary's cousin is the mission president), and we didn't even ask everyone.

Allison and her mother were too excited to finish their lunch. When Dad finally finished his, we departed for the Provo temple. We joined at least a million other families taking last pictures with their missionaries. We met two different missionaries on the way to Farmington, NM. One family had inside information that 34 new missionaries were expected today for that mission alone. Allison also met some missionaries playing volleyball on their P-day that are headed for Poland in a couple weeks.

When the clock struck 12:50 pm, we loaded back in the car for the drop-off. At the curb, Allison like her sister before her, was impatient to go. No tears from her, but her mother made up for it. After a quick hug from her mother and father, she walked away. The next time we see her, she will be 18 months older and wiser.

Good luck Sister Hansen. We love you!

Email the new missionary at: anhansen@myldsmail.net

FAREWELL DAY!! Just like Billy Joel says "I'm Movin Out!"

Super Stoked to be the second Sister Hansen out in the field for 2 weeks!

A dear friend of mine, leaving just a week after me (July 19th)
heading out to Cincinnati Ohio!

My tumble buddy!
Ivy just returned from the Italy Milan Mission
and wishes she was back out there

Don't know what I am going to do without these girls!
Nicole: Weber State Sara: Macon, Georgia Maddie: Weber State
GOOD LUCK GIRLS!

Good News: My best friend fits in my luggage
Bad News: Cant take her with me because she has a bigger step in her life to make, eternity with her man on August 17th!

Typical best friends. LOVE THIS GIRL

My roommate Megan! Still a tall red head!
Love her to death!

Family, family, family!

Cousins! I love this family so much!

Grandma Hansen

Grandma and Grandpa Fisher

Peace out K-town

Thank you to everyone who was able to make it out! I appreciate all of you! Everything came together beautifully and I am so happy about the turnout. Finished with the talk and now to the real stuff, I am so excited to get to the MTC on WEDNESDAY!! Freaking out but a good freaking out. And you know what it means if I am headed to the MTC? That means just a short time until my family gets to welcome home my sister from Mongolia! Then I get to see her the 29th. Big things are happening. Thank you again for the love and support!